Auto light switch and battery saver



Feb. 22, 1955 G. A. JACKSON, SR., ET AL AUTO LIGHT SWITCH AND BATTERYSAVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 13, 1952 I George J7.

f/TTORNE Y6.

s. A. JACKSON, SR, ET AL 2,702,840

AUTO LIGHT SWITCH AND BATTERY SAVER Feb. 22, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJune 13, 1952 H'TORNEYS- United States Patent AUTO LIGHT SWITCH ANDBATTERY SAVER George A. Jackson, Sr., and Ola M. Elifritz, Tulsa, Okla.

Application June 13, 1952, Serial No. 293,256

1 Claim. (Cl. 200-83) This invention relates to a circuit control forautomobiles and has special reference to a lost time control for thelamp and spark plug circuits of an automobile.

One important object of the invention is to provide a control device ofthis kind, by means of which lamps left burning will be automaticallycut off when the ignition switch is closed.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a circuitcontrol of this character wherein the cutting off of a lamp circuit,upon opening of the ignition switch, will be effected at a time intervalafter such opening of the ignition switch, so that a person will havetime and opportunity to leave the automobile, as in a garage, and leavethe immediate vicinity of such automobile while the lamps are stillenergized.

A third important object of the invention is to provide a novel meanswhereby the time interval above referred to may be regulated at the willof the user.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide a circuitcontroller of this character which will simultaneously control othercircuits than the lamp circuit.

The invention consists in general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicate likeparts, and:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved circuit controlling device.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but taken at right angles thereto.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken diametrically through a certaincapsule and circuit closure used herein, the view being substantially atright angles to the axis of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

The main feature of this invention comprises a body 10 in the form of acapsule having an upper chamber 11 and a lower chamber 12, which areseparated by a flexible diaphragm 13. Depending from the center of thelower chamber 12 is a nipple 14 wherein is screwed the upper end of avalve casing 15. This valve casing 15 has an axial passage 16 extendingtherethrough and provided with a reduced portion 17 at its upper end anda second reduced portion 18 at its lower end. The reduction at 17provides for a seat whereon a ball valve 19 may seat at a certain stagein the operation of the device. The reduction 18 provides for a seat onwhich engages the lower end of a spring 20 on the upper end of which isheld the ball valve 19. Extending down from the upper end of the valvecasing is a bleeder passage 21, the lower end of which communicates withthe passage 16 below the ball valve. This passage 21 is controlled by aneedle valve 22, which may be regulated at will. The lower end of thecasing 15 is provided with a threaded connection 23, whereby a tubeleading from the intake manifold of the automobile may be connectedthereto. A spring 24 seats at its upper end on the center of thediaphragm and its lower end on top of the valve casing 15 so that thisspring urges the flexible diaphragm to bow upwardly The capsule has anopening 25 in its top and extendlng upwardly through that opening is abar 26 having a foot 27 resting on the diaphragm. The upper end of thebar 26 is bent to extend laterally and form a fork as at 28. Secured tothe top of the capsule by bolts 29 is the foot Patented Feb. 22, 1955ice 30 of a bracket member 31 having a lateral extension 32 parallel andabove the extension 38. At 33 is a switch body of any suitableinsulating material. This body has a neck 34 which extends downwardlythrough a suitable opening in the bracket top 32 and is threaded for thereception of nuts 35 forming means for securely mounting the switchbody. The neck 34 and the lower part of the body 33 have a passage 36therethrough wherein is slidably mounted a plunger 37 provided at itslower end with a spool-shaped extension 38 engaging in the fork 28.Leading downwardly from the top of the body to the opening or passage 36is a conoidal cavity 39 and at opposite points of this cavity aremounted brackets 40 provided with binding screws 41 and with spacedextensions 42. The plunger 37 has an upward extension 43 provided on itstop with a contact head 44. Screw holes 45 are provided in the bracket31 to enable the device to be attached to any desired part of theautomobile.

In the operation it may be assumed that the engine is running and'thevalve casing 15 is connected to the intake manifold of the automobileengine. Under these conditions the ball valve will be drawn down fromits seat and a partial vacuum will be established in the chamber 12. Nowunder these conditions it may be considered that the diaphragm 13 ishorizontal. Also at this time the head 44 effects contact between themembers 42, so that if a circuit, having an open gap, has the ends atthe opening secured by the binding posts 41, such a circuit will beclosed. If the ignition switch be now open, the engine will stoprunning. Immediately the ball valve will rise and close the main openingat the top of the valve casing, which communicates with the chamber 12.The spring 24 will now act to how the diaphragm upwardly but resistanceto this upward bowing will still be maintained by such a partial vacuumas may exist in the chamber 12. However, fluid under normal pressurewill leak upwardly trough the bleeder 21 until normal atmosphericpressure exists on both faces of the diaphragm. Thus the spring wouldeffect raising of the bar 26 and consequent raising of the head 44 outof engagement with the members 42 and the circuit under control will bebroken. Obviously, adjustment of the needle valve will entirely controlthe time interval required to bring both faces of the diaphragm undernormal atmospheric pressure. Moreover, if it be desired to maintain thelights in illuminated condition, it is merely necessary to close theneedle valve 22 and thereby the partial vacuum required to close thecircuit will be maintained and illumination of the lights will continue.Thus, if it is desired to change a tire or to maintain the light globe,provision is made therefor. Obviously the needle valve would bereadjusted to its normal position as soon as one ceased to requireconstant illumination of the lights.

What is claimed is:

In a circuit control for automobiles a disc-like capsule consisting of apair of frusto-conical members having their major ends confronting eachother and provided with peripheral flanges, a flexible diaphragmextending across said capsule and having its peripheral edges grippedbetween said flanges to provide upper and lower chambers in the capsule,said members having flat and parallel minor ends, wherein are providedcentrally alined openings, a tubular member extending downwardly fromthe opening in the lower end of the capsule and being internallythreaded, a valve casing having its upper ends screwed into said tubularmember, a coiled compression spring interposed between said diaphragmand said valve casing, said valve casing having a vertically arrangedpassage therethrough provided at its upper end with a valve seat openingtoward said capsule, said valve casing having a threaded connection fora suction pipe at its lower end below said chamber, a ball valve in theupper end of said chamber, a coiled compression spring interposedbetween the suction pipe connecting opening and said ball valve, abracket supported on the upper face of said capsule and having a portionextending over the center of the capsule, a normally closed circuitclosure carried by the last mentioned portion of the bracket andincluding a plunger, extending downwardly from the circuit closure, aco-acting plunger mounted on said diaphragm and extending upwardly forengagement with said plunger, said first plunger including a spindleshaped lower end and the second plunger including a forked end fittingon the spindle-shaped end of the first plunger.

5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,169,089 Lawton et a1. Jan. 18, 1916 1,231,561 Briggs July 3, 1917 101,414,913 Whittingharn May 2, 1922 1,448,058 Eis et a1. Mar. 13, 1923 4Teichner et al. Jan. 10, 1933 Sayre Mar. 30, 1937 Benjamin Sept. 27,1938 Karow Nov. 2, 1948 Thornbery Mar. 1, 1949 Bufienrnyer July 15, 1952Van Gastle Aug. 4, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 1, 1931France Feb. 2, 1948

